Welcome to Litsy!

In 1905, the King appoints a young small business owner to be governor of #SaoTomeandPrincipe based solely on some articles he‘s written against colonial slavery. Although a lover of comfort and ease, Luis agrees to take on the white plantation owners who claim their black labor force are free to return to Angola, a lie given they now live on an island without means to go back. Against all odds, Luis tries his best so the world will know that ⬇️

I‘m done (review to come), but I did it! I‘ve read a book for every country in Africa! I just finished this excellent book about slavery in #SaoTomeandPrincipe. What an accomplishment! #readingAfrica2022

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In the next chapter of the tagged book I‘m meeting the British Consul to be posted to #SaoTomeandPrincipe. He rose to illustrious heights in civil service in #India, which I‘m now reading all about. So I‘m reading another appropriate book in the few remaining days left in November for #foodandlit. What a lovely coincidence. #readingafrica2022

I‘m sad to say I‘ve spent most of Thanksgiving feeling poorly. I did have a little bit of turkey and sides but that just turned my stomach almost immediately. On the good side, when not sleeping or nauseous, I‘ve made progress with this book and I love it. The “dandy” is now governor of #SaoTomeandPrincipe with the mission to ensure slavery no longer exists in this Portuguese colony at the turn of the 20th century. It‘s beautifully written. ⬇️

I‘m not far at all but here‘s the fascinating premise: a Portuguese playboy who has dabbled a bit in politics by writing a couple of articles for the newspaper has come to the attention of King Carlos who wants to appoint him as governor of #SaoTomeandPrincipe. The new governor is to convince the nosy British that the cocoa productions there are not using Angolan slave labor. What a task for an apparent ne‘er-do-well! #readingafrica2022

Update: Part 1 of books read for #readingAfrica2022

Update: Part 2 of books read for #readingAfrica2022

It‘s been forever since I‘ve posted my progress map and here it is. The last country is the island off the west coast #SaoTomeandPrincipe

I‘m 16 pages into the tagged book. It‘s long but appears to be well written and translated. It sounds very interesting so I hope I can get through it. I‘d hate to drag it into the new year!

I‘m starting the book for my final country for #readingafrica2022, #saotomeeprincipe.

I‘m borrowing daughter‘s dorm room wheeled cart (she‘s now home from college for the summer) for my challenge reads. With her immense amount of help, we organized and updated my fave books bookshelf (in the background). Then we pulled out my IRL challenge books for #readingafrica2022 (top of cart) #foodandlit2022 and #litsyatoz and put them on her cart. I decided to throw in a couple of my Wilbur Smith books for Africa because, why not?

A compelling opening to the tagged book. #readingafrica2022 #SaoTomeePrincipe. @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

NOT an indie bookshop find, but it happened to arrive from Amazon today. This is for #readingafrica2022 #SaoTomeePrincipe. @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Historical novel about Sao Tomé and Principe set at the turn of the 20th century around the cocoa trade and forced labour. Beautifully written - in a French translation. The main character is given an impossible mission to convince plantation owners to abandon slavery.

On the one hand - the rich history of Portuguese colonialism, and on the other, unfortunately, unconvincing and too dramatic love interests of the main hero which just made my eyes rolling. Too bad, because the story is interesting, dynamic, colourful and written in a solid prose. #SaoTomeAndPrincipe #ReadingAfrica #19822022 #2008

The mail carrier brought me books today - this was my haul from the gift card my boss gave me for Christmas (plus a little extra out of my own pocket ?). These are my planned books for São Tomé and Djibouti for #readingafrica2022, and a gorgeous special edition of Dracula with bats sprayed on the edges and Edward Gorey illustrations throughout. It‘s a stunning edition.

#setbelowtheequator #acrossapril @Eggs

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